Colleges : Campus scene : COSTA MESA : International Center’s Chief Fosters Diversity

Saeeda Wali Mohammed has been appointed director of Orange Coast College’s rapidly growing International Center.

A decade ago, there were only 38 international students enrolled at OCC. Today, there are about 600, and the school hopes to enroll 850 annually by the year 2000.

The International Center helps foreign-born students obtain information about admissions and registration, immigration, housing and employment regulations. It also provides American students with information about overseas work, study and travel plans.

Mohammed, a native of Pakistan who came to the United States 20 years ago as an international student at Los Angeles Valley College, was previously the director of Cal Poly Pomona’s International Center.

Mohammed said one of her goals as International Center director is to introduce U.S. students to the diversity that exists on the campus.

“Like most colleges, we tend to have two populations here--American and international students--who keep to themselves,” she said. “We want to persuade them to interact.”